Nokia’s return in the form of HMD Global has been in the form of a number of models launched. While there are a number of mid-range, mainstream offerings, Nokia tackled those with the launch of the 7.1. It is now time for HMD to take aim at a space a bit higher up the order. The Nokia 8.1 too is an Android One device which now fits in the Rs. 27,000 price range.
HMD Global has focussed on giving the Nokia 8.1 a bold and strong look. Its metal frame adds rigidity while well as giving it a stylish edge. There a number of colour options available too – Blue/Silver, Steel/Copper and Iron/Steel. All of this metal on-board the Nokia 8.1 doesn’t make it too heavy either, with a total weight of just 180g. The result of all this manufacturing genius is a phone that looks modern, elegant while being robust. 
The design of the Nokia 8.1 is only boosted by the large PureDisplay screen up front. It’s among the largest ones around, scaling a massive 6.18 inches across running a full-HD+ resolution. If that’s not enough, you ought to be more impressed because this is an HDR10 supported display. All the popular media streaming services offering HDR content will look incredible on this screen. Most affordable smartphones simply do not carry this. So with the Nokia 8.1, you get a smartphone, with a solid design and a display that makes you go wow!
A smartphone isn’t anything without performance under its hood. While most devices miss out on top-end hardware, HMD has employed a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 system-on-chip under the hood. This is more powerful processor than the mid-range processors. You get a lot of performance and it’s coupled with 4GB of RAM, which really is more than you need for most apps and games to run smoothly.
Storage has no limits on the Nokia 8.1, well almost. The device comes packed with 64GB of internal storage which is a lot by itself. In addition, you can choose to buy a high capacity microSD card to use on it. The upper limit for this is 400GB. That’s more than enough storage to have you covered for months of non-stop music or for storing your movie collection right on the phone, or installing the latest online multiplayer titles.
The camera gets a massive improvement too. The camera uses ZEISS optics to get crystal-clear photos. The resolution for the front-facing camera is 20MP, while the rear setup includes two cameras, one rated at 12MP and the other at 13MP. Low light performance is said to be incredible. The cameras are Google Lens supported which means it opens up a world of possibilities. The camera can easily identify objects and get you detailed information on them.
One of the big improvements over the Nokia 8.1 is the larger battery. This device comes with a 3500mAh battery which gives you all the performance of that Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, for much longer. The adapter is an 18W fast charger too, so in the occasion you lose charge, it can go from 0 to 100% a lot quicker. The rest of the reliable hardware is still intact. You still have the headphone jack so you don’t need to buy any adapters. The super-fast WiFi 802.11ac connectivity is still here as is the new USB Type-C connector, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and more.
Let’s not forget that this is an Android One device, and one of the more premium models. This means you get the latest Android updates which with most other phones, you might have to wait till the manufacturer decides to pass on the latest build to your device. Some of the things you can expect from Android One are also optimized battery life, better support for Android Assistant so you can simply ask for help rather than type complex search keywords and directions. Security is also bumped so you get more and latest updates in minutes. If your phone gets lost, you can find it in minutes too.
The Nokia 8.1 has everything to make it a robust device, in looks, in feel and performance. If you’re looking for a long-lasting device that’s worth your money, this should be on your list of considerations. If you’re still confused or interested in taking a closer look, come down to our store. If you’ve got your mind made up, head over to the product pages to order the new Nokia 8.1 right away.
